gatling



(No Mode-1.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. J. GATLING. FEED FOR MACHINE GUNS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD J. GKATLING, OF HARTFORD, CON' NECTICUT.

FEED FOR MACHINE-GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,534, dated June 13, 1893. Application filed July 22. 1892. Serial No. 440,880- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD J. GATLING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feedsfor Machine- Guns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

The invention relates to the devices provided for feeding cartridgesinto the breech of machine-guns of that class known as Gatling guns, theobject being to produce a simple and cheap feed into which a number ofcartridges may be rapidly placed directly from the package in which theyare stored and transported, and quickly forced into the breech of thegun, whereby a number of cartridges can be discharged with greatrapidity simulating volley firing.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1. is a reduced plan of aGatling-gun provided with the improvement. Fig. 2. is a transversesection through the revolving lock-cylinder and feed of such a gun. Fig.3. is a plan of the hopper of the gun. Fig. 4. is an edge View of thesame. Fig. 5. is aview looking into the hopper. Fig. 6. is a plan of thefeed-case. Fig. 7. is an end view of the feed case. Fig. 8. is an edgeView of the same; and Fig. 9. is a detail vertical section of the feedgate.

In the views 1 indicates the frame; 2 the revolving barrels; and 3 thebutt-casing in which,on the central shaft 4, is supported the revolvinglock-cylinder 5 which bears the reci procatin g locks of a Gatling-gunof common form and construction.

Adjacent to the breech of the barrels in continuation of the casing is ahopper 6 which is pivoted to one side of the frame and provided at theopposite side with a spring catch 7 whereby the hopper may be secureddown to close, or thrown over to open the breech. An opening 8 is madethrough a portion of this hopper and from the lower side of this openingprojecting outward on an incline is ashelf 9 adapted to support the endof the feed-case which holds the cartridges. This feed-case consists ofa plate 10 having along the rear edge an upright flange, a portion ofwhich, 11, is flat while a portion,12, is provided with a mortise 13adapted to receive and hold the heads of the cartridges. A rod 14 issecured along one side so as to extend the whole, or only a portion ofthe length of the plate as desired, and hinged upon this rod so that itmay turn over as well as slide back and forth, is a block 15 having ahandle 16. The shelf 9 preferably projects outward quite a distance toafford a firm support for the feed-case also that the case may bereadily placed upon the shelf and slipped into the opening 8 in thedark. Around the upper side of the opening is a flange 17 mortised toreceive and hold the flanged side of the feedcase, while on the oppositeside is a flange 18 mortised to receive and hold the flat edge of thefeed-case, a flange 19 being formed to guide the cartridges into the gunas they pass down the feed-case. In a mortise in'the top of the hopperpreferably in an adjustable block 20 is placed a fluted roll 21 adaptedto act as a gate and separate the cartridges as they are fed into thegun so that but one at a time can pass into the cartridge receivingcavity. This roll, in the construction shown, is supported upon a shaft22 journaled in blocks 23 which are adjustably held in the block 20 bymeans of the screws 24. When the end of the feed-case is thrust into theopening through the hopper and there held by means of the spring catch25, the block 15 is turned over on the rod 14 to the positionillustrated in dotted outline in Figs. 6 and 7 so that the upper surfaceof the plate is free from obstruction. Anumber of cartridges in anoriginal paper package or held by any other common means are placed onthe plate with their heads against the flat flange 11 and as the packagein this position is quickly drawn down toward the gun the heads of thecartridges pass into the mortise 13, then the package is pulled ofi andthrown aside leaving the cartridges on the plate with their heads in themortise. The block 15 is then turned on its hinge to the position shownin full lines in the drawings and when the gun is in operation thesecartridges are by a quick thrust .on the handle of the block pushed intothe gun and there rapidly fired in the ordinary manner. The plate 10 maybe made of any convenient length to receive any number IUIO ofcartridges, and the flange 11 may be made pt suitable height so that theheads of the cartridges may be properly guided into the mortise 13without special skill, ready to be forced into the gun. With this methodof feeding the cartridges are pushed into the gun in groups duringaction very quickly, each group being fired rapidly as a volley withmfi'ch greater rapidity than if fed in with a regular steady feed. Thisis of greatutility in ordinary action but is of especial advantage whenthe gun is operated by means of a motor, for the 'reason that themechanism of the gun can be operated continuously by power while thecartridges need be only fired when desirable to accomplish the greatesteflect, as in firing a volley from a boat when it .is on the crest of awave or when an enemy sudlzienly appears and disappears.

The feed is simple and cheap in construction, readily inserted in placein the gun and is so formed as to conveniently receive a number ofcartridges directly from the original package without loss of time, sothat volleys can be fired with great rapidity.

Ill claim as my inventioniii. A feed for machine guns, consisting of aplate having a flange with a mortised groove adapted to receive theheads of the cartridges, and a sliding block hinged to the plate andmovable thereon through the groove for forcing the cartridges therefrom,substantially as specified.

2. A feed for machine guns, consisting of a plate having a flange with amortised groove adapted to receive the heads of the cartridges, a flangeadapted to guide the heads of the cartridges into the groove, and asliding block movable on said plate through the groove for forcing thecartridgestherefrom, substantially as specified.

3. A feed for machine guns, consisting of a plate having a flange with amortised groove adapted to receive the heads of the cartridges, a flangeadapted to guide the heads of the cartridges into the groove, a rodsecured to the side of the plate, and a sliding block pivoted upon saidrod for forcing the cartridges from the groove, substantially asspecified.

RICHARD J. GATLIN G.

